Furnace appliance.



P. BROWN. FURNACE APPLIANCE.

APPLIGATION FILED NOV. 16, 1914.

Patnted Mar.30,1915.

TITNTTED STATES PATENT @FFTQFLQ PAUL BROWN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

FURNACE APPLIANCE.

Application filed November 16, 1914.

souri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Furnace Appliances, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had'to the accompanying drawings, forming a partof this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in furnace appliances and more specifically stated to means for reducing the fuel re ceiving space of a fire box.

The object of the invention is to provide means for temporarily reducing the capacity of a fire box during seasons of the year when a high degree of heat is not required.

The preferred form of the invention comprises a series of filler blocks adapted to be placed in a fire box against the inner face thereof so as to reduce the fuel receiving space, and these filler blocks are so constructed that they may be readily applied to and removed from the fire box.

The advantage derived from the use of my invention, is a saving of fuel during the seasons of spring or autumn when the ca pacity of the fire box is reduced for the purpose of reducing the fuel receiving space. The normal dimensions of the fire pot are calculated to secure the maximum efficiency when the grate is covered by a large body of fuel, and when a low smoldering fire is maintained by a small body of fuel in the fire pot there is necessarily a decided waste of fuel. However, by reducing the capacity of the fire box, say one third, the maximum efliciency is obtained when the fire pot contains two thirds of the normal fuel supply. Therefore, my capacity reducing device may be applied to a furnace with the result obtaining the maximum efiiciency from a reduced quantity of fuel, thereby efiecting a saving of approximately one-third of the fuel in operating the furnace during certain seasons of a year.

Figure I is a horizontal section taken through the fire box of a furnace equipped with my removable capacity reducing device. Fig. II is a vertical section of the lower portion of the furnace. Fig. III is a detail view of the filler blocks.

The furnace shown in the accompanying drawings is provided with a fuel receiving Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

Serial No. 872,431.

opening A, an ash compartment B, a cleanout opening C, a rockable grate D, and a fire pot E provided with the usual lining F. The bottom wall of the clean-out opening C is in a plane, approximately, parallel with the top face of the grate so as to permit the removal of clinkers or other material from the surface of the grate. My improved filling device, or capacity reducing device, preferably comprises a series of segmental filler blocks 1 and 1 fitted to each other and fitted to the inner face of the fire box. These filler blocks preferably have no direct connection with each other nor with the wall of the fire box, the object being to provide a temporary filler which may be easily and quickly applied to or removed from the fire box. Each filler block is preferably provided with a bar 2 arranged in a recess 3 at the upper end of the block to produce an eye for the reception of a poker or other device whereby the filler blocks may be lifted from and manipulated in the fire box.

The furnace I have shown is provided with a tapered fire pot and the filler blocks are wedge shaped so that the annular filler produced by the blocks is larger in diameter at its upper end than at its lower end. In this connection it is to be understood that the shape and dimensions of the filler blocks may be varied to fit into fire pots of different shapes and different dimensions. The tapered filler blocks may be so fitted together that each of them constitutes a key for retaining the others in their proper positions. In other words, the annular structure produced'by the wedge shaped blocks must contract in diameter in moving downwardly against the tapered wall of the fire pot, and since the tapered blocks are closely fitted to each other they serve as means for retaining each other in the positions shown in the drawings. To positively prevent any of the blocks from slipping downwardly I preferably arrange a sectional ring 4 in the lower portion of the fire box, said ring being seated on projections 5 shown by dotted lines in Figs. I and II. The filler blocks are located directly above the rockable grate D, and they are preferably positively separated from said rockable grate by the sectional ring 4 so that the grate may be rocked while the filler blocks are positioned in the fire box. The filler block 1 located in the plane above the clean-out opening C is preferably shorter than the remaining filler blocks so that its lower end lies above said clean-out opening.

The filler blocks are made of a concrete composition, fire clay or other suitable material, and their rear faces are preferably cored as seen at 6 to reduce their weight and to provide dead air spaces between the blocks and the fire box lining F.

The filler blocks are applied to the furnace when the firebox is empty, each block being adapted to pass through the fuel receiving opening A. WVhen the weather becomes cold enough, the capacity of the fire box is enlarged to receive the normal fuel supply, by-

hooking a poker or other device into the eyes at the upper ends of the filler blocks and withdrawing them through the openin A. The change from a reduced fire box to the normal size fire box may be made very easily and quickly, and without in any way damaging the bed of fire in the furnace. The bed of fire merely spreads over a large area and more coal is added to obtain the maximum efficiency of the larger fire box.

I claim 7 1. A. furnace having a fire box provided with a main lining; combined with a term porary fire box filler consisting of a circular row of thick segmental filler blocks removably fitted to and surrounded by said main lining, said temporary fire box filler being closely fitted to the inner face of the main lining so as to reduce the capacity of the fire box without otherwise changing its characteristics as a fire box.

2. A furnace having a fire box provided with a main lining; combined with a temporary fire box filler consisting of a circular row of thick segmental filler blocks removably fitted to and surrounded by said main lining, said filler blocks having no direct connection with each other nor with said main lining, and each of said filler blocks being provided with an eye at its upper end for the reception of a lifting device whereby it may be lifted from said main lining.

3. A. temporary fire box filler consisting of a circular row of filler blocks adapted to fit into the fire box of a furnace and against the main lining thereof so as to reduce the fuel receiving space, combined with a ring composed of sections adapted to be inserted through the fuel receiving opening of the fire box, said ring sections constituting a seat for the lower ends of the filler blocks.

a. A furnace having a fire box provided with a main lining and a grate below said main lining; combined with a temporary fire box filler consisting of a circular row of thick segmental filler blocks removably'fitted to and surrounded by said main lining, said filler blocks having no direct connection with each other nor with said main lining and a filler support including a ring composed of sections adapted to be inserted through the fuel receiving opening of the fire box, the sectional ring being surrounded by said main lining and arranged above said grate to constitute a seat for the lower ends of said removable filler blocks.

5. The means for temporarily changing the capacity of a furnace to economize fuel when the furnace contains less than the normal fuel supply, said means comprising the combination of a complete fire box adapted to contain the normal fuel supply, and a temporary fire box filler consisting of a circular row of thick segmental filler blocks closely fitted to the inner face of said fire box so as to reduce the diameter of the fuel receiving space without otherwise changing the general characteristics of the fire box.

PAUL BROWN. In the presence of i E. K. CLARK, A. J. McCAnLnY.

Oopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

